Applications open for community greenhouse action

The Australian Government plans to help local communities, businesses and councils take action to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions with the availability of grants totalling almost $2.2 million.

Australian Minister for the Environment and Heritage, Ian Campbell, has announced a series of grants available for local projects to reduce energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions.

"These community grants will involve a wide range of local projects throughout Australia, driven by different organisations to deliver targeted on-the-ground action to reduce greenhouse gases," Campbell said.

"This may include helping schools deliver ride to school campaigns, retrofitting sporting facilities with low flow showerheads and low energy lighting, or household auditing initiatives."

Campbell said $1.77 million was available from the Low Emissions Technology and Abatement (LETA) measure to help local governments, businesses, or other groups adopt small scale low emission technologies.

Under the Local Greenhouse Action Program $280,000 will fund community abatement grants where three or more Cities for Climate Protection (CCP) councils will work together on projects with householders, local businesses, schools or other local groups to reduce greenhouse gases.

A further $120,000 in funding will help local councils involved in CCP to meet formal program milestones. CCP is an international program delivered by the Australian Government in partnership with the International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives.

"It is great to see these councils joining forces to give their communities the skills and resources to reduce their greenhouse emissions. These grants will boost the size and scope of local projects and will capitalise on the good work already being done by many local communities. I urge groups to apply for the grants," Campbell said.

Campbell said the grants announced today were part of the Australian Government's almost $2 billion national climate change strategy.

For more information, please visit Local Greenhouse Action